If you weren't already, you'd have to be worried about Harrington's state of mind reading this.

Padraig Harrington's decision to split from his coach of 15 years, Bob Torrance, during a meeting on Saturday may not be the biggest shock of the year but its timing is intriguing with the final major of this season less than a fortnight away.

Under Torrance's tutelage Harrington won two Open Championships and a US PGA title. His missed cut here, though, triggered what Harrington has called a break "until I am ready to listen to what he [Torrance] has to say". Torrance cited disappointment rather than hurt as his overriding emotion.

Of Harrington's insistence on making swing alterations, weeks before he turns 40, Torrance said: "He has been going down one road that I think is wrong. He is determined to go down that road, the wrong one. I said to him: 'You're going down the wrong road, if you go down too far, you won't come back.' You cannot make changes at 40 in golf. You can make them when you are in your 20s but once you get to 40 it is too late."

Officially Harrington and Torrance are having a three-week trial separation but few onlookers hold much hope for an early reconciliation. Harrington heads to the United States for the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational and US PGA championship while of a mind to work through his own game rather than have another set of eyes analyse it. It could be argued that Harrington thinks enough about golf for two people anyway.

The mechanics of Harrington's swing are behind this parting. The player himself believes he cuts across the ball too much, something with which the 79-year-old Torrance disagrees. The coach says mental issues are more pertinent in Harrington's fall from grace.

"I think it's crazy," Torrance said of Harrington's approach. "He is as high as he can go in golf, the only ones he never won were the Masters and the US Open. He has won tournaments all over the world."

Harrington's break-up with Torrance was probably inevitable amid a slide which has seen the Irishman win only once – in Malaysia – since claiming the third of his major titles, in 2008. Back then it seemed Harrington was poised to dominate the European game. Instead two of his fellow countrymen, Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell, are among a clutch of players who have been far more successful. Harrington arrived in Killarney as the 64th‑ranked player in the world and clearly frustrated.

"Padraig is not a strange man," Torrance said. "He has just got his own ideas. Nothing will shift him. Once he gets on to that, that's that. There are no in-betweens. I have nothing to say against Padraig. I have had 15 of the happiest years of my life teaching him."

What he doesn't get is that he would move forward more by not changing his swing than by trying to rectify perceived flaws. But he can't help himself and he is now doomed to a David Duval-like fall from grace, which is sad.

He does need a new coach, but unfortunately he'll go out and pick one that tells him what he wants to hear, not what he needs to hear. IMO, he's goosed. There's no return from here if he goes off in search of a better swing again.

What he doesn't get is that he would move forward more by not changing his swing than by trying to rectify perceived flaws. But he can't help himself and he is now doomed to a David Duval-like fall from grace, which is sad.

He does need a new coach, but unfortunately he'll go out and pick one that tells him what he wants to hear, not what he needs to hear. IMO, he's goosed. There's no return from here if he goes off in search of a better swing again.

He would be well advised to listen to you Jezzer...

How come you are posting this on a message board instead of telling him personally?

What he doesn't get is that he would move forward more by not changing his swing than by trying to rectify perceived flaws. But he can't help himself and he is now doomed to a David Duval-like fall from grace, which is sad.

He does need a new coach, but unfortunately he'll go out and pick one that tells him what he wants to hear, not what he needs to hear. IMO, he's goosed. There's no return from here if he goes off in search of a better swing again.

He would be well advised to listen to you Jezzer...

How come you are posting this on a message board instead of telling him personally?

After a very good US Open last week, he's lying 3rd going into Sunday in the Travellers championship, shot a 65 that included 7 birdies in 8 holes. Starting to show some of his old qualities and good form with the Open coming up.

Sauvignon Blank wrote:After a very good US Open last week, he's lying 3rd going into Sunday in the Travellers championship, shot a 65 that included 7 birdies in 8 holes. Starting to show some of his old qualities and good form with the Open coming up.

Seems to have sorted out his long game, especially seems to have reduced the number of destructive tee-shots he had been hitting. His putting needs some work though. I suspect he'll be hoping for tough conditions at Lytham as he's unlikely to win in a birdie blitz.

Sauvignon Blank wrote:After a very good US Open last week, he's lying 3rd going into Sunday in the Travellers championship, shot a 65 that included 7 birdies in 8 holes. Starting to show some of his old qualities and good form with the Open coming up.

Seems to have sorted out his long game, especially seems to have reduced the number of destructive tee-shots he had been hitting. His putting needs some work though. I suspect he'll be hoping for tough conditions at Lytham as he's unlikely to win in a birdie blitz.

Sauvignon Blank wrote:After a very good US Open last week, he's lying 3rd going into Sunday in the Travellers championship, shot a 65 that included 7 birdies in 8 holes. Starting to show some of his old qualities and good form with the Open coming up.

Seems to have sorted out his long game, especially seems to have reduced the number of destructive tee-shots he had been hitting. His putting needs some work though. I suspect he'll be hoping for tough conditions at Lytham as he's unlikely to win in a birdie blitz.

I've put a €5 each way on him at 23/1 for the Open

I'll be laying a bit more down but each way is a good call. As ever with the Open, the side of the draw and the weather will be crucial to one's chances.Watching harrington closely these last few weeks I'm very impressed with his game tee to green. He is peppering the pins for a while now and rarely finding serious trouble off the tee. His ball striking is as pure as i've ever seen it and swing is under control. Pete Cowan is obviously working wonders with him.His performance in the last 2 majors has been excellent and on both occasions his putter more or less went cold, as it did in Portrush.If(big if) he get's that putter going at Lytham he'll be a favourite for his 3rd Open success & 4th major. He's not short of confidence either. All in all good omens for PH.

John23 wrote:Went well for him at Bethpage yesterday. Hasn't a prayer of a wild card pick for the Ryder Cup given his history with Joseph Mary Olazabal.

I assume Poulter will get one of the wild card spots, but will Olazabal go with Colsaerts if he doesn't make it past Kaymer this week? On the flip side is he likely to pick Kaymer if Colsaerts does finish in the top two this weekend?

The irony for Harrington is that he's probably playing better at the moment than he was when he got the wildcard pick two years ago.